Honestly, if you’re still thinking about Super Mario Odyssey all kingdoms as just a checklist of moons to grab, you’re missing the point of why this game feels so different from Galaxy or Sunshine. It isn't just a platformer. It’s basically a digital vacation.
I remember the first time I landed in the Sand Kingdom. You expect the typical "desert level" tropes, right? Heat, sand, maybe a pyramid. But Nintendo gave us Tostarena—a Mexican-inspired village with skeletons wearing ponchos and a giant hole in the ground leading to a frozen underground temple. It’s weird. It’s bold. And it sets the tone for the entire journey.
Exploring Every Corner of Super Mario Odyssey All Kingdoms
When we talk about the scope of the game, we’re looking at 17 distinct locations, though not all of them are created equal. You’ve got your heavy hitters like the Metro Kingdom and then you’ve got "micro-kingdoms" like the Cloud Kingdom or the Ruined Kingdom that are basically just boss arenas.
The Heavy Hitters: Where You’ll Spend Your Time
The Sand Kingdom (Tostarena) is massive. It’s one of the best examples of how the game uses verticality and secrets. You can spend five hours here and still feel like you haven't seen everything. Then there’s the Wooded Kingdom (Steam Gardens). This place is a trip. It’s a forest populated by watering-can robots who are obsessed with gardening, all set to this surf-rock bassline that has no business being that catchy. It feels like a greenhouse built inside a rusted-out factory.
Then we have the Metro Kingdom (New Donk City). This is the heart of the game. Seeing Mario, a cartoonish plumber, jump off a skyscraper next to a "realistic" human businessman in a suit is jarring. It shouldn’t work. But it does because it leans into the absurdity. The festival sequence here, where you play through a 2D 8-bit section while Pauline sings "Jump Up, Super Star!", is arguably the peak of the entire franchise. It's pure nostalgia without being annoying about it.
The Weird Mid-Tier Worlds
You also have the Seaside Kingdom (Bubblaine) and the Luncheon Kingdom (Mount Volbono). Seaside is basically a giant sparkling water fountain. The gimmick here is the Gushen—those little octopuses in bubbles that let you jetpack across the water. It's relaxing until you have to fight a giant octopus with a cork in its head.
The Luncheon Kingdom is polarizing. The art style is low-poly and bright, looking more like a bowl of geometric soup than a world. It’s a neon food nightmare. You spend most of your time as a Lava Bubble, jumping into pots of stews. It’s bizarre. But that’s the charm of Super Mario Odyssey all kingdoms; they don't have to make sense relative to each other. One minute you’re in a prehistoric jungle (Cascade Kingdom), and the next you’re in a kingdom made of literal hats (Bonneton).
The Post-Game Reality: The Kingdoms You Didn’t See Coming
Most people think the game ends when the credits roll. It doesn't. Not even close.
Once you beat Bowser on the Moon (the Moon Kingdom, which has low gravity that totally changes the physics), you unlock the Mushroom Kingdom. This is the ultimate fanservice. It’s Peach’s Castle from Mario 64, recreated with modern graphics. You don't collect Power Moons here; you collect Power Stars. Even the sound effects change to match the 64-bit era when you put on the 64-bit suit. It’s a love letter to the people who grew up with the N64.
But then there’s the Dark Side and the Darker Side.
These are the true tests.
The Darker Side is a gauntlet. It’s one long, grueling level that tests every capture mechanic you’ve learned. No checkpoints. Just you, Cappy, and your muscle memory. It’s frustrating. You will die. A lot. But finishing it is the only way to truly say you’ve mastered the game.
Technical Depth and Capture Mechanics
The genius of these kingdoms isn't just the layout; it’s the Captures. In the Lake Kingdom, you become a Cheep Cheep so you don't have to worry about air. In the Snow Kingdom (Shiveria), you become a "Bound Bowl" creature and race in a giant icy derby. Each kingdom acts as a playground for a specific set of mechanics.
- Cascade Kingdom: T-Rex capture (destroys everything).
- Lost Kingdom: Klepto (the bird) and the wiggler-like creatures that stretch.
- Bowser’s Kingdom: This one is a standout because it’s not a lava castle. It’s a Japanese-style fortress with neon lights and floating islands. You play as a Pokio (a bird with a spear beak) to flick yourself up walls.
What Most Players Miss in the Journey
There’s a common misconception that you should clear out every moon before moving to the next kingdom. Don't do that. You’ll burn out. The game is designed for you to return later. Many moons only appear after you’ve "broken" the Moon Rocks found in each level after the main story.
Also, look at the NPCs. The characters from the Sand Kingdom will travel to the Metro Kingdom. The Lochladies from the Lake Kingdom will show up in the Luncheon Kingdom. There’s this weird little interconnected narrative of tourism happening in the background. It makes the world feel alive rather than just a series of disconnected levels.
The "hint art" is another thing people ignore. These are photos on walls that show a location in a different kingdom. You have to travel there and ground-pound the exact spot shown in the photo to get a secret moon. It’s a clever way to force you to actually look at the environment instead of just following the compass.
Ranking the Kingdoms by Design
If we're being honest, some kingdoms are just better than others.
- Metro Kingdom: The peak of level design. It's a playground.
- Sand Kingdom: Huge, sprawling, and full of secrets.
- Mushroom Kingdom: Pure nostalgia, executed perfectly.
- Wooded Kingdom: Best music, best atmosphere.
- Ruined Kingdom: Cool aesthetic (dark fantasy), but way too small. It's just a boss fight against a dragon. I wish there was more here.
- Cloud Kingdom: Same issue. It's beautiful, but there's nothing to do after the fight.
The Lost Kingdom (Forgotten Isle) is underrated. It’s small, but it’s dense. The purple poison water and the tropical colors make it feel dangerous and alien. It’s one of the few places where you feel genuinely "lost."
The Economic Side: Regional Coins
Each kingdom has its own currency. 50 or 100 purple coins. You use these to buy kingdom-specific outfits. Is it necessary? No. Is it the most satisfying part of the game? Absolutely. Dressing Mario up in a suit and tie for the Metro Kingdom or a parka for the Snow Kingdom adds a layer of role-playing that keeps the "vacation" theme going.
Moving Toward 100% Completion
If you're aiming to see everything in Super Mario Odyssey all kingdoms, you’re looking at 880 unique moons. If you buy moons from the shop, the counter goes up to 999, which turns the sail of the Odyssey gold.
It's a grind.
But it’s a fun one.
To actually finish the game properly, stop focusing on the UI. Stop looking at the map. Just pick a direction and run. The game is built on the philosophy of "curiosity rewarded." If you see a weird ledge, there's probably a moon there. If you see a glowing bird, follow it. If you see a lone trash can in New Donk City, kick it.
Actionable Next Steps for Completionists
- Finish the Story First: Don't get bogged down in the Sand Kingdom. Get to the credits to unlock the Moon Rocks and the Mushroom Kingdom. This opens up the "real" game.
- Talk to Talkatoo: The parrot in every kingdom gives you names of moons. The names are clues. Use them.
- Check the Amiibo Hut: If you have Amiibos (any Amiibo), talk to Uncle Amiibo. He’ll mark a moon location on your map for free. It saves hours of aimless wandering.
- Master the Roll: Shaking the controller (or pressing X/Y while crouching) makes Mario roll. This is faster than running. If you want to clear the larger kingdoms like Sand or Seaside without losing your mind, you need to master the long jump into a roll.
- Find the Hint Art: Take screenshots of the hint art with your Switch. It’s much easier to refer to your gallery than to keep flying back to look at the wall.
The beauty of Odyssey is that it doesn't hold your hand. It gives you a hat, a ship, and 17 worlds to get lost in. Whether you're just here for the platforming or you're a psycho who needs all 999 moons, there's something that feels tailor-made for you. Go find the rest of those secrets. They aren't going to find themselves.